Asunder
by nikkistew
Summary: New Moon AU -- After Italy. By leaving Forks, Bella sets events in motion that will change the lives of humans, werewolves and vampires forever.
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

EPOV:

Bella was the sweetest young woman I have ever met, so loving that she had elevated the art of forgiveness to new heights. Therefore, I was surprised two months after Italy, which she now refers to as 'AI' because she says only artificial intelligence would have caused me to make such a drastic decision which had placed us all in such peril, when I detected some disturbing changes in our relationship.

Lately, I'd gotten a niggling feeling that Bella had begun to slip away from me. She no longer pushed the physical boundaries of our relationship, she spent more time with her human acquaintances (and canine companions from La Push) and she insisted on spending most of our time together under the watchful eye of her father. I didn't understand the implications of her actions until my family returned from our latest hunt, when at last her motives became quite clear: Bella has been systematically removing me from her life.

During my family's weekend hunt, Jacob and Billy Black had dinner at the Swan residence while watching a big game, so Alice couldn't see what was happening at Bella's house. Bella had broken her window and got it replaced with a security window with money she had saved from her job at Newton's Outfitters. She also removed the key from the eave by the door, no doubt telling her father to set a better safety example for the good people of Forks. I no longer had access to Bella without her permission.

When I arrived at her house, she was getting into her truck. I guess she wasn't riding with me today. She was dressed in a deep blue silk blouse, a steel grey pin-striped pencil skirt with black, sheer hose so delicate they could probably slide though a ring and black Manolo Blahnik heels. What was most shocking about this particular outfit was that it was not purchased by Alice. Surely I would have seen something like this in one of Alice's visions. Bella has now become adept at evading two members of my family: myself and Alice, freaks among freaks. Yet she is still human.

Gracefully, she ascended the truck's step and slid confidently into the driver's seat pulling out a cellphone and sending what appeared to be a text. When had Bella gotten a cellphone? And then she smiled, the most beatific, wistful smile, and for the first time since I knew her, her smile wasn't directed toward me.

* * *

"Edward, can we go to your house after school today," she asked. I was so surprised that she asked that it took me a couple moments to respond. "Of course, love, everyone wants to see you."

* * *

_To Carlisle and Family:_

_I've come to the realization that Edward will never change me, and since there really isn't any point to eternal existence without him, I am freeing you from your promise to change me after graduation, Carlisle. He wants me to have all of what he believes are the normal human experiences that I would have had, had he never existed. His desire for this is so strong that he would force me to live a farcical half-life, so that he can live through me vicariously._

_First, he wants me to go to college. I could have gone multiple times after I was changed, but that wasn't enough for him. Next, he would have wanted me to pursue a career that probably would have tied me to one place, while the rest of you would be forced to leave me behind again before your lack of aging was discovered. Then, he would most likely encourage me to get married and have children by some human man. You all know me so well. How could I ever submit myself to the life he has mapped out for me?_

_I've decided to not worry about the Volturi verdict that I be changed. Edward isn't worrying about it, so why should I? After all, Demetri cannot find me - just everyone else that I love and hold dear, like my parents, you all, other friends and all of the people on the La Push reservation. I've decided to just let the chips fall where they may. I feel truly numb for the first time in my life, like the hole in my chest has been replaced with morphine and as long as I can hold on to this feeling, I will at least be able to perform the activities of daily life._

_I'm moving back to Phoenix. I'm 18 years old, Renee still has the house and I've transferred back to my old high school. I'll be invisible there. Edward has always said that I don't see myself very clearly, but the truth is that no one ever saw me until Edward looked at me for the first time._

_After the incident in Phoenix, when I decided to become one of you, I looked into ways to preserve my own blood. I remembered Edward telling me that I smelled strange when the hospital transfused me with blood from foreign donors. My research led me to the procedure of autologous blood donation, where a patient donates blood to themselves for future medical procedures. In Biology, before the blood typing incident, I learned that the average human body contains 10 to 12 pints of blood. Over time, I have banked a total of 12 pints of blood, 10 of which are contained in the special medical-grade cooler below the radio that you guys bought me for my ill-fated birthday party. All of it is for Edward. He told me that my blood was designed specifically to meet his needs, which no other blood had ever called to him so much in all his days as a vampire. This is my last thing I have to offer him before I close the book on our journey together. It is given with the best of intentions and with the deepest love and affection._

_Rosalie, you were right, this was never the life for me, so I'm glad that you voted no. I'm sure that the others thought you were being selfish when you cast your vote, but I never did. After Edward said no, there was no point in any of you saying yes. You are so strong and capable. I never thought you were only a pretty face. You were made for this life, and one day you'll see it. Carlisle never changed anyone that could survive the first life. I'll never know what brought you to Death's door, but I'm sure your guardian angel brought you to the Cullen's._

_Emmett, I am really going to miss you. You're a vampire, but you have more life in you than any human I have ever known. You may act like a toddler sometimes, but you have a better grasp on what is truly important in life: To not take yourself too seriously and to truly appreciate this second life that you've been given. No one has ever deserved life more than you. I am proud to have been able to call you brother._

_Jasper, I never blamed you for what happened on my birthday. You feel so much that you feel the feelings of everyone around you, especially their thirst, so I don't want you to ever think that you are weak ever again. In many ways, you are the strongest person I know._

_Alice, my sister, my friend, when you left, I thought I would surely die. I wanted to die, but there were so many people tethering me to this life. You could see my future, how empty it would be without all of you, but you all were helpless against Edward's demand to let me go. I don't blame you. Edward is just the proverbial immovable object. I'll always remember never to bet against you. Thank you for your gift to me. Only you could have rendered me this final service. I'll always love you and honor your sacrifice._

_Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes, you were able to give me a glimpse into family life and you let me be your child. Before I came to Forks, I can't recall ever feeling like a child, I was always the nurturer. Even my decision to come to Forks was to benefit someone else. You have so much love and warmth in you; I could have basked in its glow forever._

_Carlisle, you are a paragon among men. I look at you and know what sacrifice truly is. You are a great example for mankind. If I can only have a portion of your goodness, I will be a blessing to many._

_Edward, I'm finally able to give you what you have always wanted. I'm letting you go. I never should have tried to hold on to you in the first place. Everything about me holds you back and reminds you of what you are and can never be. And it's exhausting trying to keep up with you in this fragile, mortal shell of mine. The very thing that makes me special to you (your inability to hear my thoughts) ruined us. Because you cannot read my mind, you have never trusted my heart. I'll tell you a secret; I had already said my goodbyes to the Sun, long before we met, when I decided to leave Phoenix to come live with my dad. You would not have been taking me away from anything that I loved more than you. Any twilight with you would have been as the brightest star for me. I'm sure that I'll always love you. You're the smartest person I know and you have all the time in the world to learn more. Learn to be happy, Edward._

_Goodbye and Love to You All,  
Bella_

* * *

"What have you done, Alice," I asked woodenly.

"I've been keeping her secrets, Edward. I've kept from you all that she never wanted you to know. She only asked me to promise that I would keep her secrets until she was gone. Her flight left SeaTac an hour ago," Alice replied softly. "She asked Jacob to take her so that you couldn't see her future in my head until after her departure."

"Why, Alice? How could you keep this from me?" I exclaimed.

"It was the last and only thing she asked of me, and she asked this favor of me as a sister, so I couldn't say no." Alice continued, "She made this decision on the way to Italy, but I thought that she changed her mind. After the night of the vote, something broke inside her, Edward. I think she gave up on your relationship. She not only feels unworthy of you, she feels that you don't love her."

Esme interjected, "She is your _mate_, Edward. Did you honestly think that you could keep her in this Purgatory forever? You own her body and soul, but you refuse to stake your claim on her. What did you expect?" She began to sob, almost collapsing in Carlisle's arms.

Carlisle, finally able to speak, said, "Son, your relationship with Bella has defied every law, mortal and Vampire. On the night of the party, she told me that she considered herself to be your mate, but she said that you did not consider her as your mate. She told me there was no one else for her, and that there would never be anyone who could take your place. At 18 years of age, she had already irreversibly linked her soul to yours. She knew from the first time you met that your lives had become intertwined. What she is doing now frightens me more than any past events."

"Why are you so afraid, Carlisle?" Rosalie inquired.

"Bella has given up. She has been utterly vanquished. She is returning to _Phoenix_, where she has no friends or family, no Vampires or Werewolves, no protection whatsoever. She has left Edward with a more than her body's supply of blood, Rosalie. Her letter said it all. She doesn't care about the _Volturi_. She said nothing of Victoria. I think she's going back for closure. She's going to let Victoria succeed where James failed. Mate for mate."


	2. Chapter 2

THE ESCAPE

BPOV:

Edward wasn't going to stay and I was sure I would perish immediately if I had to watch him walk away again. My heart had been co-opted by powers much greater than my own. I could no longer choose whether or not to love Edward. The love just _was_. I couldn't escape the feelings that bound me to him, but I could escape him. He taught me that. Every day was agony and even waking up in his arms didn't stop the anguish.

It was a constant struggle to maintain the façade of total forgiveness without repentance. While he was sorry that he hurt me, he wasn't sorry that he left. From the very beginning, he tried to escape the love between us, pulling me to and pushing me away, sometimes within the same sentence.

Looking in the mirror, my frail, emaciated figure merely a representation of the love I've been starved of, I realize that I must be the strong one now. I have to let him go. I must find the strength to do what he could not: make a clean break. The still jagged edges of my heart laugh uproariously at the irony of ever being whole again, but I no longer pray for wholeness. Now I simply desire to smooth out the remainder of my broken heart, to make it so slippery that it could never be claimed and discarded ever again. Love was dangerous; loving Edward was futile.

My epiphany came to me from the strangest source. I was shopping at the Safeway and I ran into Leah. Her face, normally so hard and bitter, was filled with a fathomless sadness, a sadness I recognized. In that moment, we were sisters, and I ached to comfort her.

"Leah," I called. Glancing my way, she made to leave the store. "Wait!"

"What do you want from me, Bella? Where's your bloodsucker? Waiting outside to carry your bags for you?"

"No, don't call him—Forget it. How are you, Leah?"

"Getting by. Tired of the constant patrols, tired of Sam riding my ass," she said.

"I know the feeling."

"How can you know how I feel, schoolgirl? I wanted to go away to college, now I'm stuck here patrolling the peninsula for the red-headed bitch that's out for your blood. Sam won't let me leave the pack because everyone is needed to protect _you_. Do you know what it's like to be tied to your ex, and having to watch him falling deep in love with someone else?"

I walked away slowly, before the weight of our combined hopelessness engulfed me. She was right. If I stayed with Edward, eventually Leah and I would share the same fate. Someday, Edward would fall in love with someone he wouldn't have to change and that would be the end of me. If I wasn't with him, or near him, I wouldn't have to see it. I wouldn't have to experience the despair of seeing him touch, hold or kiss someone else without restraint. I wouldn't have to witness the woman he would make love to for eternity. I would never have to see the woman who was not me.

For now, I needed to think. I had to come up with an escape plan that would stump my mother, my father, the Quileutes and the Cullens. I was in for a very long night.


	3. Chapter 3

THE PLAN

BPOV:

Forever. Eternity. Words that mean nothing. How can any human fathom everlasting life? I tried to imagine it, and, for a brief time, wished the opportunity to partake in that fountain of eternal youth for myself, but it was clearly not to be, just as Edward and I were never meant to be. Apparently, I was no longer just a magnet for danger, I was a magnet for tragedy. Maybe I wasn't good enough to be allowed happiness. Forever, incandescent happiness, at any rate.

I could have settled for a temporary state of minor contentment with my personal sun, but with my luck, he would imprint as soon as I tried to claim him for myself. Moreover, what kind of friend would I be when I only want Edward. Jacob is too good to be anyone's second best. I know he loves me, but it is love forged in the crucible of parental wishes, Jacob's youthful first crush, and unrelenting danger, creating a massive adrenaline rush mixed in with whatever biological effects caused by the change. We're all under the influence of mythical madness and any decisions made within a hundred miles of one another will only end in disastrous outcomes for everyone involved.

I wasn't running away. I just couldn't remain here any longer. Looking back, I probably should never have left Phoenix to come to Forks. Although my reasons were pure, they were reactionary, and I am tired of just reacting to situations thrust upon me against my will. Renee chose to leave Charlie, taking me with her, and Charlie chose to let us go. To let me go. He knew how irresponsible she was. He also knew I was forced to grow up too fast as a result, so treating me like a child at this point in my life was galling. I was basically under house arrest.

Charlie's attempt to keep me safe was also very amusing. Here I was cooking and cleaning, coming straight home after work, when all the time I was being stalked by a ruthless she-demon who doesn't care about boundaries, treaties or curfews. My father was turning me into a sitting duck. Jacob wouldn't speak to me. He couldn't even be bothered to come to the phone, though sometimes I could almost hear him whispering in the background, telling his father what to say. All of the men in my life, especially Edward, are conspiring against me. Edward is always trying to convince me how dangerous the wolves are to be around. How ludicrous! They are not nearly as dangerous as the Volturi or Victoria. I love him, but he is so infuriating.

I'm sick of being dependable Bella. I'm sick of always yielding to the whims of others. I've done it all my life and all I have are scars and bruises to show for it. Forks, like this house, has become a prison.

Sometimes I wonder if my life would be better if Edward had never existed, if we had never met. Then I remember how much I used to hate Forks, and how he showed me the beauty and wonder of it within weeks of our first, fateful meeting. I think the world would be a much darker and unbearable place without him in it. I might not always be a part of this world, or of his world, but it makes me happy to know that someone of his magnificence will continue to roam the world. With his infallible memory, perhaps he will recall moments from our past and think of me fondly.

He has set the bar so high; I know no other man will ever come close. And he says I don't see myself clearly! He was my Prince Charming, and he woke me up to light, color, sound and beauty. My memory might be like a sieve, but in those awful months of his absence, it managed to filter out everything and everyone but him. I suppose that was hardly the result he anticipated.

I don't think he ever expected his actions to cause me to doubt everything and everyone in my life including myself, but that is what happened. I wasn't enough to make him stay. I wasn't enough. And I couldn't bear to live forever knowing that. Life is unbearable enough without someone who loves you to share it, everlasting life without love would be utterly unbearable. I know he probably thought I wanted to change for the beauty, the strength or the speed. In darker corners of his mind, he may have wondered if I felt the need to become like him, in order to defend myself from the "evil" he brought into my life. Madness, all of it. The nomads and I were bound to meet. If it hadn't been the clearing, it would have been some other obscure place, perhaps without Edward's protection. A lonely girl exploring Forks was destined for a sticky end. Edward was my saving grace.

I had to leave soon, but how? How could I convince Charlie to let me go? How could I let the wolves know that the treaty was no longer in jeopardy? And how was I ever to evade Alice's visions? Immediately, I knew what I had to do.

If my dad knew I was leaving Forks to get away from Edward, he'd send me off with a ticker tape parade and his blessings. The parallels between the reasons for Renee's departure and mine would barely even register. With the same stroke, I could satisfy the Quileutes' need to keep me safe while helping my newest sister gain some sweet relief. I felt the pressure lift from my mind as my decision became set. It was time to implement my plans.

* * *

"Dad, we need to talk," speaking in a low, calm tone, I addressed my father. My father. I would have to think of him thusly from now on. Only a father could help me do what I needed to do. I would have to reveal my vulnerability in order for my plan to work. I would have to dance a delicate ballet with a judicious dash of truth to secure his cooperation.

"Dad, I need to leave Forks."

"Bella, I know it's tough for you being grounded… But you can't run to Renee every time you have a problem. Running isn't the answer," Dad said.

"I don't want to run away, I _need to leave_. Since Edward and the Cullens have returned, I feel so sad, Dad. When they all left it hurt so much, and I feel that same pain coming back. Going to California to talk to Edward was still the right thing to do, but he hurt me real bad when he left me, Dad. I just can't be here right now. Edward says he wants me back and I'm not ready to make that decision yet. I need some time to think apart, far apart, from him. I need to go to a school where the other students don't look at me in pity. I feel like everyone is waiting for me to break down. And I don't want to have to see him every day."

"What about Jacob? You two were getting real close…"

"No, Dad. Jake was getting closer to me. I was getting closer to the end of my rope. He's not the one. I tried. He tried. Billy tried. You tried. There was too much trying and not enough being. I wish he was the one for me, but I can't keep hurting him by continuing to pretend that we are anything other than friends. He is just one more reminder of something I can't have. Please just let me go. You couldn't wait to send me to Jacksonville before; I need to go now. And I already have a plane ticket--"

"You have a plane ticket? When did you get a plane ticket?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen gave me the ticket for my birthday, because they know how much I missed Renee. After E-Edward left, I forgot about it for awhile… I forgot everything for awhile."

"OK, Bells. I'll call your mother and discuss it. Are you sure about this?"

"Dad, I'm not sure about anything anymore. That's why I can't be here."

"If this is what you need, I won't try to stop you. Go get some sleep, Bells. You look tired."

"OK, Dad… And thanks."

* * *

Although Jake wouldn't contact me directly, I knew he still looked after me from time to time without my express permission. When he or another member of the pack was near, Alice couldn't see me. Although she had already agreed not to look for me, I needed to blind her.

I used this opportunity to make a few calls. The first was to Sam Uley, the pack Alpha. "Sam, can we meet? I'll be at work at Newton's after school Monday. I have something important to discuss with you," I said.

"_I'll be there."_

"Thank you."

She answered on the fourth ring. "Leah, I have an idea," I said. "I think you should come with me."

_"Come with you where?"_

"Jacksonville for a start. I think Sam would let you leave the pack for a while if you were going with me."

_"Why Jacksonville?"_

"Because my mom lives there. But we won't be staying there for long. I know we're not friends, but we both know what it's like to be around someone who doesn't love you as much as you love him," I said.

_"Why would you do this for me?"_

"Because I think I'm beginning to understand you better and you're probably my only ticket out of here."

_"Speaking of tickets, I can barely afford to get to Port Angeles, let alone Florida."_

"I got the transportation covered. We can figure the rest out as we go."

_"Sam isn't going to agree to this."_

"I know you may not believe this, but I got Sam covered. I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Right now, the timeline isn't synched. That has been done purposefully. I'm juxtaposing Edward's reaction to Bella leaving him with Bella's decision and plans to leave. He is after all an extraordinary hunter and she is the perfect prey. I promise that the timing will eventually mesh. Thank you. I think I need a Beta.

THE PURSUIT

APOV:

"I'm going after her, Alice," Edward said from his position at the conference table, rendering his mother and siblings temporarily stunned into silence, their gazes locked on the blood bags littering the table next to the radio they had gifted Bella for her 18th birthday, wires askew, some covered in dried flaking blood. Like a fat macabre, misshapen electronic spider, eager to scurry across Esme's mahogany dining table, the radio must have been removed by Bella, and when blunt instruments didn't help, she had apparently resorted to ripping it out with her bare hands.

Finally, Jasper spoke."Edward, you cannot follow Bella."

"And why not," Edward asked. "If Bella is in trouble, I have to protect her."

"I have to agree with Jasper on this one, Edward," Alice said. "I haven't been able to see her future in weeks but even I don't predict that ending well – "

"WHAT! You haven't seen her future in weeks? How is that even possible, Alice? I've been counting on you to keep safe the most important person in my world, Alice… Why didn't you tell me of this development weeks ago?" Edward exclaimed.

"It wasn't my place to tell you that, Edward," Alice replied wearily. "And Bella asked me not to look into her future weeks ago. By the time I tried looking into her future, if just to reassure myself, it wasn't there anymore. Not even a glimpse. Her future just vanished. What do you want from me?

What would you have done if I told you, Edward? Put her in protective custody? I don't know how Bella is evading my visions. You all know that my visions depend on choices that people make. Her mind was set on this course even before Italy. There has been no wavering in her resolve, so what do you expect me to do?

Must I remind you that you were the one who months ago demanded that I stop looking for her? Is she only important when you decide? Is there really no limit to your selfishness?

If I hadn't done this for her, she would have run sooner, without any plan or accommodations set in place. Wouldn't that have been infinitely worse, Edward?"

"Yes! You're right, but I don't know what to do. Someone please tell me what to do! She's just _gone_! I'm drowning here. I feel lost." He slumped into his chair, raking both hands cruelly through his hair, grasping and pulling at the ends. I had never seen Edward this dejected before. The last time he was nearly this upset was Bella's birthday. I guess everything is different when you're not doing the leaving.

"You're drowning! No, Edward... Bella _drowned_. And then she picked herself up, dusted herself off and saved your sorry ass! Then you thanked her by telling her she couldn't be one of us. I have tried to tell you what would happen. I've shown you what I've seen. You should be happy now. You've waited for this over a year..." My voice trailed off. _This is the running and screaming you wanted. So suck it up._

Rosalie. I could see it coming. "Edward, she said it herself. Immortality isn't for her. She is not one of us, and even you don't want to make her one of us. Aren't things better this way? We can track Victoria. Bella will be safe, or as safe as she ever is. You need to let her go, Edward."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME? Are you kidding me? All of you have mates. Every one of you but me! Do you know what it's like to be surrounded by love and not experience it for yourself? Try ninety plus years of THAT and tell me how you'd feel!" Edward snapped.

"_You had a mate, Edward_. You pushed her away one time too many. She was willing to give up everything for an uncertain, possibly painful future with you, and you rejected her. Time after time. She's offered herself to you in every possible way a woman can offer herself to a man! Each time she offered herself up to you, you told her no, Edward. I've seen it. The last time was the night of the vote. I haven't seen her future since, Edward. It's like your decision not to change her made her whole life disappear," I argued.

"What does that mean? My decision _caused_ this...? I've put myself and this family at risk by bringing her into to our world. What can I do to fix this?"

Sharply, I responded, "You are the only one in this family that could have prevented this situation, Edward! I told you that I only ever saw two fates for Bella. In one future, I saw her as my _sister_, as one of us. In the other, I saw her dead in your arms. You were doing everything in your power not to change her, brother. And you didn't want anyone else to change her. You didn't want any other man to have her. She was your _pet_. You made her your prisoner-"

"She was not my prisoner. I would do any-" he began, hotly.

"Anything, Edward," Jasper asked skeptically, "You're sure about that? Is that your _final _answer? Because all I see is a dog in the manger, not giving up his bone. There was no way in Hell she was ever going to survive this human! Not after you brought her into the secret. Frankly, I'm impressed she's hung on as long as she has! She already has battle scars! You've placed her smack in the middle of a war and you would leave her unable to defend herself. All I see is you signing her death warrant, you self-righteous son of a bitch! You care so much about her humanity that you've forgotten she is still a person!

Do you really think the Volturi is going to take this lying down? They'll kill us all rather than take the chance of looking weak! Do you understand what you have done? She has rejected the idea of the change, Edward. Look at all that blood she left you! Ten pints! She already sees her death coming. She gave you her last pound of flesh as her final act. Talk about making a grand exit!"

Edward looked broken after this last statement. I don't know how Bella is blocking me. The only thing I couldn't see before was the wolves...

At that moment, Jasper's cellphone rings. "Yes, Jenks? I thought we agreed to keep our calls to a minimum. Do we need to have another discussion...?"

_"N-No, Sir. Our existing agreement is fine. Your wife called and asked me to track a particular account for her and give her the details as they come in."_

"Which account?"

_"The acount belonging to a Ms. Isabella Swan..."_

"I see. Well... I'm aging..."

_"Yessir. Well, that's why I called you. Apparently, she bought three plane tickets, two to Phoenix, and one to Italy. But that's not the part that concerned me. Apparently, her card was stolen after that because the credit card company detected a suspicious spike in activity directly afterward. All in all, upwards of $3000 was spent in several places not familiar to Ms. Swan..."_

"Such as..."

_"Well, it's almost as if she gave her card away. The card is linked to her bank account and after a period of three hours, the owner transferred her remaining funds into her father's account, the card was deactivated by the owner and her account was closed. Normally when a card is stolen, there is an overdraft. Thieves don't care about their victims' credit scores."_

Jasper, ominous, said frigidly, "Jenks, from now on, someone else calls you on my behalf, be sure to give me a heads up?"

_"Yessir, will do..."_ Jasper snapped his phone shut.

"OK... What does that mean?"

"That means that Edward isn't going anywhere," Carlisle stated. "Bella is clearly cutting ties with everyone; She has made her position clear. This family is NOT going to stalk her across the country. It's her opportunty for a clean break, and she is graciously allowing us to stay in Forks. She knows that Edward would never leave her alone if she remained here..."

"I'm going, Carlisle"

"Then you go without my blessing and without the support of this family. Do not expect our assistance."

"I am part of this family."

"Not if you intend to continue abusing this girl and toying with her emotions, Edward. Jasper is correct. It may not have been your intention, but you have turned Isabella into a possession, a pet. This family will not abide this insanity anymore. It's both dangerous and foolish. You were right when you said being with us was dangerous for her..."

"So you agreed with me that we should have left after the party...?"

"No, I was going to say that being with us was dangerous considering your stubborn refusal to change her. As clumsy as Bella is, anyone in the family could have attacked her at any time. Have you ever considered that she is your singer, but her blood still is very attractive to many of our kind? Had she never met you, she'd probably be dead already. Her life is the proverbial perfect storm: dysfunctional family, skittish mother, perpetually absent father, fragrant blood, vampire boyfriend, werewolf friends, living in a house abutting a dense forest… Everything about her screams 'victim'. Her life is a horror movie waiting to happen. Had she never met you, she'd probably be dead or changed already.

Why do you think Victoria hated her so much? There were numerous ways to wreak vengeance on this family without involving Bella. It's clear that James wanted Bella for himself. He left his 'mate' here and chased Bella halfway across the country. Several of the Volturi are intrigued also. If she wanted eternal life, she could have it by now. She's simply too remarkable to stay human, Edward. You haven't been fighting fate to keep Bella alive. You've been fighting fate to keep her mortal.

What were the chances that Bella would be the singer of the one vampire that had enough control not to kill her immediately? I think you were granted this reprieve so that you would have time to deduce that she was your mate so that you could change her yourself. Had you accepted this gift, Bella would be yours, and only yours, in every way.

Instead, I've let you stalk her for almost two years. I have a lot of respect for Chief Swan, but I've let you sneak into his home almost every night to watch his teenage daughter sleep. At first I was amused and I indulged you in this, but now I realize you had more than romantic and protective reasons for doing so: you miss sleeping yourself. You miss dreaming; you miss breathing because you have to. The real reason that you won't change her is that you want human life for yourself so much that you won't let her relinquish hers although it is her decision. And worse, you want to keep her human to keep her weak and dependent on you. You were afraid that if you gave her immortality, she'd leave you. Well you haven't changed her and she has left you. After how you've treated her, she was wise to do so.

Face it, Edward. Bella was _never _going to have a normal life. She was born in Forks. She hated this place for so many years that she refused to even visit her father here after the age of twelve and yet here she came at the age of seventeen to live, the same age you were when you were changed. And she wasn't afraid of you. Or of us. She didn't even blame Jasper after he almost attacked her. As soon as you left, the next available bachelor was a werewolf. She is waist deep in the supernatural world but isn't a part of it. She was meant to be one of us. It is time.

You _will _leave Bella alone unless she first reaches out to you. You've been allowed to control her life too long. You want her to have a normal life? Then let her find a man that won't be forced to compete with you. You have unnatural advantages: your eyes, your voice, your smell, your speed and your strength. In addition, you'd be able to read the poor bastard's mind. It would be impossible for Bella to find someone that would satisfy your high standards while having you in her bed every night.

I used to think I changed you too young, but that is not the case. You are capable of attraction, arousal and love. You are capable of mating. Your mate is Bella. You've had the opportunity to court her properly and you failed abyssmally. It is Bella's turn now. If she wants it."

"Carlisle, take her blood and bank it. I don't want her blood. The red substance in these bags isn't Bella. Her blood may sing for me, but it doesn't love, think or dream. I want Bella."

The shock in the room is palpable. None has ever faced such temtation and turned away. To refuse such an offering freely given. Carlisle's face slowly fills with pride.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: In my story, Bella works at Newton's before Edward leaves her in the forest. My Bella has become even more observant and intuitive after her breakdown in Italy. As always, I own nothing but my imagination. SMeyer owns all things Twilight, Edward included ;-)**

THE OFFER

BPOV:

Exhausted from working my final shift at Newton's, I say a warm good-bye to Mrs. Newton. Shallow and vapid as she is, she gave me a job when it was most needed, kept me on even when I was practically catatonic, and took me back after I ran away, the fact that her son attempted to take advantage of my weakened mental state notwithstanding. Sam is waiting for me as I exit the building. We walk to the small wooded clearing across the street and sit on one of the conveniently placed benches.

I make a concerted effort to relax all of my muscles before he focuses his laser-like attention on me. I look at him, not staring, deferential in my manner. He is the Alpha and deserving of my respect and I do not wish to offend him, especially since I am about to deliver some startling news and make some potentially outrageous requests. I must be brief. Sam won't humor my theories like Edward might, and I can't involve Jake directly. Too much anger and confusion lingers between us. In another life I may have chosen Jake, but that life would have entailed never meeting Edward Cullen my first day at Forks High School, never falling in love with him. Even if I would not be with Edward, the Volturi in Italy guaranteed that Jacob would never be an option. As much as he cares for me, I'm pretty sure that my promise to become a Vampire would put a kibosh on any courtship between us.

"What have you called me here for, Bella?" Sam asks tersely. "Are you representing the bloodsuckers now?"

"No, I'm representing myself. I desire to have a discussion with you, a meeting talk, if you will," I say softly. My eyes temporarily rest on my hands, rubbing nervous circles on my thighs. "I'm sorry to drag you off the Rez, I know you're probably tired from the increased patrols and the duties of pack leader. Especially since there are more wolves…" I say, trailing off.

"What do you know of our numbers? Has Jacob been spreading more secret pack business?" He asks roughly. I see him tensing, quivering briefly before regaining full control of himself.

"No, but my father has. He fishes with Billy almost every week, sometimes more than once a week. And he's a cop; He notices much although he is not aware of the relevance, but I am as you are well aware. Seth and Leah have been disappearing and Leah is acting out above and beyond their grief at their father's death. With all this _activity_, I might have expected Seth to change, but Leah, too? I thought only the _males_ of the original bloodlines phased. I am extremely worried now," my voice trembles slightly. I must not get emotional. My lip is trapped tightly between my teeth. I can almost taste the blood through the abraded tissue. This is no time for tears. I need to tell him the truth without starting a war.

"Sam, if I tell you a secret, can you keep it from the Pack?" I ask hesitantly.

"Yes, when necessary. Is it necessary?" he replies slowly.

"Will you keep the information I share with you today secret? It is vital. And you need this knowledge to deal with what is happening now and what will happen in the near future. I can't in good conscience keep this from the Pack or Tribal Council. I need you to be safe!" I exclaim harshly.

"You need us to be safe? What about you, Bella?" Sam looks concerned. He knows something is wrong.

"It's too late for me, Sam. My number was up the day I decided to move to Forks! Worse, neither the Pack nor the Cullens can protect me. If I was to leave Charlie's house tonight and move to the Rez, I'd only be bringing death upon you all!"

"Tell me now, Bella. I swear to keep your secret. I will share your news with no-one until I feel others need to know."

"Thank you so much. This is a great service you do me today. I will not forget. I'll start at the beginning, but I must warn you: I have as many questions as I have answers. Walk with me a little…"

We stood up and stretched our legs and walked further into the dense foliage away from the clearing. I didn't need the nosey parkers in this town to know who I spoke to last, especially since I was leaving town soon.

"Do you remember why Victoria is after me?"

"Yes, Edward Cullen in his family killed her mate."

"Sam, I think it is more than that. Do you know that James tracked me all the way to Phoenix? He tricked me. I left the Cullens because he told me he had my mother. He broke me, Sam. He was purely evil. The fact that I had protection only upped the ante for him. The thrill of competition intoxicated him. He was so cunning, and with Victoria helping him, he lost five of the Cullens. Five Vampires! He gave me this to remember him by!" I roll up my sleeves, exposing the iridescent double crescent bite marks.

"He was going to torture and kill me, just to make me a calling card so that he could start a fight with the Cullens. And the sadistic bastard taped it all with a video camera he stole from my mother's house! When I was bleeding and broken on the ballet studio floor, the Cullens saved me, and they killed James. That's when they noticed that James had bitten me. The excruciating pain, the burning was driving me insane. Carlisle bound up my leg with a tourniquet, I had an arterial bleed. It was gushing, too. I could feel the life leaving my body, and I would have just let my body float away. I was in a room with five of the Cullens, Sam, and not one of them attacked me! I was changing. And the tribe would have been able to do nothing because I was not bitten by a Cullen. Edward could have let the venom spread, but he put his mouth here" I indicated the marks again, "and he sucked the venom out because he wanted to keep me human. He calls himself a monster!"

"Sam, did you know that I am Edward's singer? That my blood smells better than any blood he has ever smelled in his life? Do you know where he stays most nights? With me, in my room, while I sleep, he stands guard over me. And yet here I stand before you, perfectly well. He has never hurt me. Physically, anyway. And he left because he was keeping me safe from him and his family. But they're not the monsters, James and his coven were monsters, the Volturi are monsters… The Volturi make James look like a teething baby."

"Who are the Volturi?"

"They are the lawmakers of the Vampire world. They supposedly keep the peace. They're like Royalty. And there is one law that all their laws rest upon: Keep the secret. When Jacob told me what the Cullens were, he broke a Vampire law. When the Cullens took me in – when they didn't kill me immediately – they broke the law, too. Humans are not allowed to know about the existence of _real_ vampires, not and live to tell about it."

"When Edward called my house the day I jumped of the cliff and asked for Charlie, Jacob told him that Charlie was at the funeral. He thought it was _my_ funeral, he went to them to commit suicide. He wanted them to execute him. Instead they said no, and offered him a place in their Elite Guard! They care about acquisition more than the law they are meant to uphold. They are not honorable and they are invulnerable. The tribe is vulnerable, though, because you guys are tied to the land and sea. This place is your history and your lifeblood!"

"Why are you telling me this?" Sam asked.

"Because I couldn't let him die for nothing! Out of guilt! That's why I went to Italy. Even if he didn't love me anymore, even if he never loved me, I still love him! I couldn't let him leave this world over a lie. And I would do it again. That's how I know that Jacob and I would never work. Because I went halfway around the world to save someone that I didn't even believe loved me."

"But Aro, he's one of the three leaders of the Volturi, has a powerful talent. He can touch your hand and see every memory you ever had. All of your memories! And he touched Edward and Alice, so he knows everything they ever thought. He knew about me, and when Alice and I came to save him, he knew I was a human who knew the secret that was still alive. He wanted to touch me because he was fascinated by the fact that Edward couldn't read my mind, and when he touched me, he saw nothing. In addition, Marcus, the leader who sees relationships and the bonds between people, had never seen such a powerful connection between a mated pair or within a coven such as the Cullens. Then Aro commanded Jane to use her power on me. Edward tried to stop her and she sent piercing pain through him by thought alone. Her power didn't work on me, though. I guess mental powers don't work on me."

"The Volturi would have allowed Edward and Alice to go, but they sentenced me to death. We only got out alive because Alice convinced Aro with one of her visions that I would be changed. The treaty with the Cullens forbids them to bite or harm a human. If I am not changed, the Volturi may kill me, and possibly the Cullens, too. I ask you, would you like the Volturi to wipe out the Cullens? The Cullens are the only coven in the world standing between you and the real vampires. The bloodthirsty savages of your legends. The other vegetarian coven isn't nearly as humanitarian. They have other reasons for forgoing human blood."

"I know you blame them for the change, but I can prove to you it wasn't. The Cullens were here for two years before I even came to Forks, You, Sam, did not change until the Nomads attacked me. The protector instinct kicked in when people in the area started dying, but the Cullens killed no-one!"

"The treaty is blinding you to the real issues, and if you can't learn to cooperate fully with them, we all lose. The Cullens could have taken out Ephraim Black, the pack at that time was outnumbered. If the Cullens wanted to hurt the tribe, they had the perfect opportunity 70 years ago. And according to the law, they should have taken out your entire tribe. The Cullens break the law every day they let you live and they honor the spirit of the treaty better than you do! The only thing the treaty line is doing is making it harder for the Cullens to protect me. I bet you Victoria doesn't have to ask your permission to make a run for the border. And as strong and powerful as you are, you still have to sleep and the Cullens have to keep up appearances to fit in. She knows all of the packs restrictions and the Cullens limitations from Laurent, the Vampire that you killed. He used to stay with the other vegetarian coven, but of course you see he fell off the wagon."

"What you have to understand is that we're dealing with covens willing to incinerate the entire haystack to find the needle. Aro knows everything about me now: my family, my friends, everything I can't stand to lose. Victoria is still in the area tracking me down. And here I am breaking curfew to talk to you. That was a dirty trick Jacob pulled, leavin the bike in front of my house; I thought Charlie would burst a blood vessel."

"I should've given him an Alpha command to stay off Cullen territory unless directed otherwise, so you shouldn't see him unless Billy is with him…"

"I forgave him; Billy and he have been coming over a lot lately as you know, but that's mostly so that Alice can't see my future, which brings me to a few requests."

"What are your requests?"

"Number one: You allow me to be changed. Number two: You allow me to leave Forks to tie up some loose ends. Number three: You let me take Leah with me."

"We cannot allow you to become a leech!"

"Then you may as well kill me now, Sam, because the Volturi don't give second chances!"

"I don't understand your other two requests, why leave and take Leah with you? You two don't even get along."

"We have a lot more in common than you think: we've both lost men that we loved deeply. Yeah, Edward may have come back for me, but there is no guarantee that he'll stay. There are many trials for us both to face that will determine if our relationship can proceed. If you must know, I've already made preparations for a clean break. I don't want you to think I'm asking for immortality just so I can have a happily ever after with Edward. This is beyond two star-crossed lovers getting their happily ever after, this is about keeping everyone I know and love safe."

"And, finally, I think I know why you didn't imprint on Leah and why Leah phased. At least I have a theory."

"I'm interested. I never wanted to hurt Lee-Lee, but the imprint is absolute. I wish I had a better reason that would give her peace."

"I think Jacob was supposed to phase first, but he fancied himself in love with me because I was so broken and he thought he deserved me after he "fixed" me. But spending time with him kept him so happy that he phased later than you. I know he has the bloodlines on both sides, and he's a direct descendant of Ephraim Black the last Alpha. I'm not quite sure how everything works, but Jake is supposed to be the Alpha, isn't he?"

"Yes, but he won't take it. He hates being a wolf almost as much as Leah."

"I think you phased first to keep you from marrying Leah. Your body rejected her which triggered the change early. The elders were almost expecting Jake to phase, but your premature change threw them for a loop, so you didn't have any guidance at first. I don't think she was meant for you, but I don't think you were meant for her either."

"What is that supposed to mean? How do you come up with this stuff?" He chuckled.

"You would know if Jake imprinted on me, right?"

"I would know. The pack would know. He hasn't. We keep telling him."

"I think that it has to do with his refusal to fully accept the mantle of Alpha, Sam. As long as he tries to just make do, his body won't let him imprint. He doesn't want to believe that certain things are predestined. He thinks if he focuses on me hard enough it'll happen, but you and I both know it doesn't work that way. Leah is hurt and she fights her wolf-spirit harder than Jake does. And using the pack mind, she sees you more than Emily does. That's part of the reason that I want to take her away with me. She needs time to let you go. She can't wash you out of her hair until she can het you out of her head. Phoenix is far enough that she won't hear the pack, right?"

"Our range is about 300 miles. Why does this all matter?"

"Jake tried to explain how the imprint works. He said the some of the elders believe it exists to make stronger wolves."

"Yes."

"Then wouldn't two wolves make a stronger wolf?"

"Possibly."

"And has there ever been a female wolf?"

"No, and the elders have checked our oral and written histories thoroughly."

"So, honestly, Sam, what is the possibility that Jacob and Leah are each other's imprint?"

"What you have said so far makes sense in a twisted kind of way. So why take Leah?"

"I'm hoping that absence will make the heart grow fonder. Jake has only seen Leah as yours; his natural instinct would make him shy away from your ex, and I think that is why he's clinging so hard to me. He thinks we're perfect for each other."

"Now I know the boy is delusional."

"So, I'm not asking you to break the treaty with the Cullens, Sam. I am asking you as pack Alpha to make a new treaty with me, Isabella Marie Swan."

"I have listened to you, Bella. I'll think on what you have told me. I will have an answer for you within a week."


	6. Chapter 6

THE ACCORD

BPOV:

My cellphone rang shrilly at 5:30 Saturday morning, and I practically fell from the bed. Sam was calling me back. I guess he knew that Charlie and Billy had gone fishing already by way of Jacob. "Hello," I answered groggily.

"The Council and I have made the decision last night. We thought you should know."

"I'm ready. Tell me," I said.

"We will allow you to leave with Leah as your companion. We just need her to call in frequently since you'll be so far away, to keep track of your movements and your safety. After I talked to you yesterday, I consulted Harry Clearwater's journals. You may not know this, but he was a dedicated Quileute historian. He kept written records of our legends and our...prophecies..."

"Prophecies?"

"Yes, prophecies. I never knew of any prophecies."

"You wouldn't Bella, and neither did I. Something just lead me to check his journals, and when I did, I knew that I had to see you as soon as possible," he said.

"Why?"

"Because your story is in the journals, Bella."

"I was in Harry's journals? How? Where?"

"When I said your story, Bella, I meant the story of you, Edward and Jacob. I laughed at your theory yesterday, but after I read the prophecies in the journals, I couldn't laugh anymore. It was all there. Everything you said and more... We need to meet, Bella. Soon."

"OK, can you come now? There is something wrong with my truck."

"I'll be there right away. I'm not as good as Jake, but I could take a look if you like."

"Sure, sure. That would be great. Isn't Jacob coming with you?"

"No, Bella. It would not be a good thing for him to come. I'll be driving to your place, I haven't phased since reading the journals."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you when I get there."


End file.
